BY DAVID ECK
Enquirer Contributor
SOUTH LEBANON -- The village police department was dissolved Monday in favor of a contract with the Warren County Sheriff's office.
By a 5-1 vote, village council dissolved the department and signed a contract with Sheriff Tom Ariss to provide police protection to this village of 2,300.
Three officers lost their jobs, though former Police Chief Derrick Hollon will remain as a village marshal, officials said. "I don't want to see it change . . . but they all felt they did what was in the best interest of the community," Mr. Hollon said. "I don't think there's a role for two police agencies in the same village." Mr. Hollon intends to remain with the village in his new capacity, the duties of which have not been determined, he said.
The sheriff will initially bring a supervisor and two deputies to the village and add a third deputy, probably in November. South Lebanon police cruisers will be repainted to match Warren County cruisers.
The contract will run through 1999 and can be renewed annually. The deputies will cost the village about $190,000 a year, said Mayor James Smith.
The deputies, who will operate out of the former village police station, took over Monday night.
"It was a hard decision for council to make," Mr. Smith said. Monday's action ended weeks of speculation. Most of the 150 residents who attended Monday's council meeting supported the police and booed loudly as the decision to shutter the department was made.
"The police department was effective," said resident Richard Marston. "If they've got a problem, take care of it. Don't get rid of the whole department. If they do anything, why don't they put it on the ballot and let people vote?"
Those who supported the police said they feel that the deputies won't develop the relationships with residents the local cops had.
"These officers know our kids (and) keep our kids safe," said Vicki Glas. "If we had bad cops, get rid of the ones that are bad." Resident Jean Kilburn said she will worry about her youngsters' safety now that the sheriff took over. "The sheriff don't know these people like the police department does," she said.
But other residents said the sheriff should be given a chance. "We can try it for a year and if we don't like it we can always switch back," said resident Richard Chappell. "I've never had a problem with our police. I think they've done a great job."
Sheriff Ariss admitted his new South Lebanon deputies will have to earn residents' trust. "We'll have to sell ourselves," he said.
Alleged problems with the police department have included officers investigating each other, missing police property and an officer accused of sexual misconduct.
"As of this moment, they can draw unemployment," said Village Solicitor John Quinn of the former village officers.
"I think they made the wrong decision," said former officer Joe Mullins, who had been an officer for almost four years. "It's been stressful, but we took an oath to do a job and we did it to the end." By midnight the locks on the village police department had been changed, the South Lebanon cruisers had been taken to the sheriff's headquarters for repainting and deputies were patrolling the streets.
"I'm relieved it's over, that's for sure," said Mayor Smith. "It's time for healing."
